Russian-Swedish Agreement on Disposal of Nuclear Waste Could Soon Be Signed

A Russian-Swedish agreement on disposal of nuclear waste could be signed in the near future, Russian Prime Minister Mikhael Kasyanov announced yesterday at a press conference in St. Petersburg. He said that this agreement was to be discussed during a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson.

Kasyanov also said that a few legal points in the document needed clarification, but that there were no other objections to signing it. Russia is counting upon the cooperation in this not only of Sweden, but also of other countries participating in the Baltic States Council. In his opinion, cooperation would enable the disposal of atomic submarines within a shorter time than if Russia counted only upon its own resources. Currently, he said, all questions concerning this agreement are being discussed in a constructive way.